


Little Bit of Truth

by how_about_no



Series: Truth [1]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Love Confessions, M/M, Truth Spells, Worship, jace doesnt know what to do, simon laments a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-07-16 12:26:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7268176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/how_about_no/pseuds/how_about_no
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Truth spell.”<br/>“No,” Jace shakes his head, laughing slightly, “This isn’t a truth spell.”<br/>“Why not?” Magnus tilts his head, narrowing his cat eyes at the young man. He looks like he’s trying to resist the urge to run away.<br/>“You look so pretty when you frown.” Simon reaches out to touch Jace’s face and he slaps the hand away.<br/>“That’s why.”</p><p>or</p><p>Simon is under a truth spell. Jace is pretty. Rambling compliments are inevitable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The buzzer goes just as Magnus is screwing the brush back into his nail varnish bottle. He rolls his eyes. Typical, someone needs him when his nails are wet. He would probably have to do them again later.

“What do you want?” He says into the speaker, using the hand he hadn’t just painted to hold down the button.

“Please let me in, I can’t deal with him much longer.” Clary’s slightly muffled voice says, and there’s light babbling too, quiet enough that Magnus can’t hear it.

“Who is ‘him’?” Magnus asks.

“Simon,” Clary groans as the babbling gets louder, “ _Please,_ Magnus.”

Magnus clicks the button to open the front door.

 

“So, can you fix him?” Both Clary and Magnus watch as Simon wanders around the apartment, flicking through books and humming happily, not a care in the world.

“I’m not entirely sure what’s wrong with him, dear.” Magnus frowns, “Perhaps he has had something of faerie origin, and is experiencing some kind of high.”

“Would that make him say the things he was saying?” Clary asks, just as Simon bursts out laughing.

“I love this!” The boy shakes his head, “I can see all the words, I’m not wearing glasses, and I don’t think I will ever get used to this! I’m honestly blown away, it’s incredible. I could read all day. I _will_ read all day!”

“I’m not seeing much difference to what he usually says.” Magnus comments, using his magic to stop the book from hitting the floor when Simon drops it out of excitement for another one.

“You don’t-” Clary stops, sighing, “You didn’t hear what he was saying _before._ He _never_ says stuff like that. Or at least, he hasn’t said stuff like that to me,” He voice got quieter, as if she’s just talking to herself, “It’s understandable really considering- God, how did I not guess?”

“What did he say, Clarissa?” Magnus asks, just as a body comes hurtling through the door.

“What’s the emergency?” Jace storms towards them, “I was having Chinese with Alec so this better be freaking important.”

“Um- Simon’s kind of-” Clary starts, but Simon notices the new entrance and grins, walking towards the three of them.

“Jace!” He sighs, “Wow, you look-” He looks the other boy up and down, “Wow. Amazing. You just- How are you? Are you good? I hope you’re good, I get so worried when you look sad. It makes _me_ sad.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Jace is frowning at Simon like he is torn between being flattered or insulted.

“We don’t know yet.” Magnus says, looking between Jace and Simon curiously, “But I think I have an idea.”

“You’re so smart.” Simon nods, frowning seriously, “I really respect you, apart from when you’re flirting with Alec, then I just kind of want to leave the room.”

“What’s your idea?” Jace is still looking at Simon like he doesn’t quite understand him, which is understandable because it seems only Clary really understands the boy.

“Truth spell.”

“No,” Jace shakes his head, laughing slightly, “This isn’t a truth spell.”

“Why not?” Magnus tilts his head, narrowing his cat eyes at the young man. He looks like he’s trying to resist the urge to run away.

“You look so pretty when you frown.” Simon reaches out to touch Jace’s face and he slaps the hand away.

“ _That’s_ why.” Jace practically growls, then stalks away to the kitchen, probably to get some biscuits from the cupboard. Magnus watches him, and makes a mental note to tell Alec to never disclose treat hiding places to his brother anymore. Speaking of which-

“I got bored.” Alec says as explanation when he walks into the apartment, mouth full, a container of noodles in his hands.

“Im glad.” Magnus smiles, and Alec smiles back, “Now, the matter at hand. Is this a truth spell?”

“I know how to test it.” Alec says, putting down the tub, “Simon, what am I?”

“A shadowhunter, gay, beautiful, tall, Magnus’ boyfriend-” Simon lists, and Clary claps a hand over his mouth.

“Sorry,” She says, “He would’ve gone on forever.”

“It’s a truth spell.” Alec nods, and Jace appears behind him, munching on a biscuit with a serious crease in his brow.

Simon sighs happily again and looks around at them all.

“I am so lucky to have you guys.”

“Jace,” Magnus waves a hand, “I need you to take him into one of the spare rooms and watch over him while I work on an antidote.”

“What?” Jace sputters, and Alec brushes sprayed crumbs off his shoulder, “Why me?”

“Because Clary and Alec are needed here.”

“Clary isn’t needed.” Jace argues, “She can go. I can do whatever you wanted her to do, it’s fine.”

“Are you female?” Magnus inspects his nails, proud of his lying skills, and thankful for them.

“No.”

“Then you can’t.” Magnus smiles, slow and teasing, “Goodbye.”

“Fine.” Jace growls, dragging Simon away down the corridor.

“You just want them to be alone together, don’t you?” Clary says.

“Absolutely.”

“Chow mein?” Alec holds out the container from earlier.

 

Jace hates this. Only he would get stuck in a room with the mundane while the others get to be in the front getting in on the action. He is pacing in front of the bed, as Simon watches him from his place perched on the end. It’s easy to ignore what happens to Jace’s stomach when in the same room as the boy when there are other people there to explain it away. Clary, mainly.

“Did the angels make you personally?” Simon asks, the first time he has spoken since they enetered the room, “Because I’m starting to think they did. You’re maddeningly beautiful. Heavenly-”

“Would you stop?” Jace rolls his eyes, “Jesus, you talk so damn much.”

“I can’t stop when I’m with you it’s like word vomit. You make me so nervous.”

“I make _you_ nervous?” Jace ran his fingers through his hair, “You see through my shit, I don’t even know how to act around you.”

“Good.” Simon smiles, “Come sit and tell me more about how I make you nervous. You’re pretty when you blush.”

“I’m pretty when I do anything.” Jace complies, leaving a few inches between himself and the other boy.

“Yeah.” Simon nods seriously, “Except when you’re angry.”

“What?”

“When you’re angry,” Simon grins, “You’re fucking hot.”

“Oh my God.” Jace put his head in his hands. How is he going to deal with this until Magnus makes an antidote?

 

“So, what’s this antidote?” Clary asks, a biscuit hanging out of her mouth. Ironic.

“There isn’t one. I can just click my fingers and heal him.”

“Oh, okay.” Clary looks down the corridor, before shrugging and grabbing another biscuit.

“Pass the party rings?” Alec holds his hand out.

 

“What are next week’s lottery numbers?” Jace narrows his eyes, testing a theory of his own. He and Simon are now sat cross legged, facing each other. It was a happy discovery that if you asked Simon questions, he would answer them instead of praising everything about Jace.

“I don’t know.” Simon is still smiling; he hasn’t stopped for the last twenty minutes.

“Dammit.” Jace mutters.

“I’m honest, not psychic.” Simon laughs.

“So, you know you’re under a truth spell.” Jace states. He had kind of been praying that Simon would forget all about this when he was cured, but if he’s self-aware, that probably isn’t going to happen. Unless it’s like being blackout drunk, when you know you’re drunk but don’t remember anything in the morning.

“Of course I know,” Simon scoffs, resting his chin on his hand, “I’m just super high as well, so I don’t care. You’d think I would learn not to drink faerie stuff, but, you know, whatever.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“And you’re gorgeous.”

“Jeez,” Jace smiles, “I knew people only liked me for my looks but you’re taking it to a whole other level.”

“No no no no no no no-”

“You done?”

“I don’t just like you for your looks, Jace.” Simon frowns, putting his hand on Jace’s knee like that’s a thing they do. It isn’t. Jace doesn’t know why he isn’t more uncomfortable.

“Oh yeah?” His heart is in his throat.

“You’re brave, funny, caring. I know you act like you think you’re the world and that you’re confident in everything you do but- but I can see you don’t really think that. You know your flaws, but I love them. I love-”

“Boys!” Magnus slams into the room, and Alec and Clary nearly fall in behind him, like they were leaning against the door.

“Oh, thank God.” Jace jumps up off the bed, running to Magnus’ side, “I’m not sure how much more I could take.”

“Sure.” Magnus raises a delicate eyebrow, then clicks his fingers. They all turn to Simon and watch as the glazed look in his eyes fade away, and so does his smile.

“How’re you feeling?” Clary steps forward, her arms crossed.

“Great.” Simon says through gritted teeth before forcefully pushing through them, and storming away down the corridor.

“At least we know he’s cured,” Alec shrugs, “Because that was definitely a lie.”

 

The steps at the front of Magnus’ flat are wet and uncomfortable. It’s pretty cold out, so Simon pulls his coat closer around himself, shaking. He had never been more embarrassed. The things he said were never meant to be heard, especially when Clary and Jace totally had a thing going on. It’s so obvious Jace doesn’t reciprocate his feelings and now he’s gone and ruined his friendship with Clary too by lamenting about his stupid crush.

He kind of wishes he was still high.

“Aren’t you cold?” Someone sits by his side, and Simon closes his eyes.

“No, Jace, I’m fine.”

“Still perfectly capable of lying, then.” Jace bumps their shoulders together, “You okay?”

“Can we just forget tonight ever happened?” Simon finally looks at the other boy, trying to show how sorry he was through his eyes.

“Why?” Jace has that look in his eye, the one where he is preparing himself for the worst.

“Because-” Simon groans and looks away, “Because I’ve completely embarrassed myself by telling everyone how completely gone I am for you. Which started- by the way- with me ranting about your perfection to none other than your girlfriend- not girlfriend- I don’t even know what you two are anymore.”

“Simon,” Jace sounds amused, and Simon’s stomach drops. Of course Jace would find this funny, “Me and Clary aren’t dating anymore. It was- it was because we were the first people each other saw and it was new and exciting.”

“Tell that to Clary.” Simon scoffs, trying to quench down the hope blooming in his chest.

“I would,” Jace says, a smile in his voice, “But she’s the one that told _me_ that.”

“Can we still forget about this? I still- I still made a fool of myself and would really like it if you didn’t use it against me.”

“I would never do that do you, Simon.” Jace touched a gentle hand to his shoulder, “Even if the feelings weren’t mutual.”

“What?” Simon’s head shoots up, “Mutual?”

“Yeah, dummy.” Jace rolls his eyes, clearly trying for nonchalance but missing by a mile.

“You like me.”

“Yeah.”

“You have feelings for me.”

“Those two mean the same thing, Simon.”

“You want to be with me?”

“Come on, are you going to talk all night or kiss me, Mundie?”

“Wait,” Simon stops Jace from leaning in with a finger on his lips, “Why were you being such an ass earlier, then?”

“You were high,” Jace goes cross-eyed to look at Simon’s finger, “I didn’t want you to do something you regretted if your feelings were just amplified by the spell.”

“I hate you.” Simon pulls Jace in, slotting their lips together with such force that they end up hitting their noses together before moving so they could kiss properly.

Turns out just a little bit of truth was all they needed.


	2. Previously...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was it that Simon said to Clary before they went to Magnus'?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.... this fic got way more popular than I thought it would
> 
> so I added a chapter
> 
> for all you lovelies

Clary flipped the page on her magazine, blindly grabbing for more chocolate from her bedside table. She fumbled for a moment before finally looking and grabbing some pieces from the bar. Popping them into her mouth, she settled back into her pillows and started reading an article on nail polish. It wasn't the most interesting thing, but all of her books were back in her room. Clearly she wasn't going to get those back any time soon.

"Clary?" A voice came from outside her door, and Clary rolled her eyes.

"Yes?"

"Oh, good!" Simon opened the door and grinned, "You're awake."

"It's only eleven, Simon, of course I'm awake," Clary put her magazine down and sat up straighter, patting the bed in front of her, a silent invitation for Simon to sit down. He did, but his expression stayed the same. A blinding grin with slightly pointed canines, "What's up?"

"I've been to a party," Simon started, waving a hand, "A vampire party. Raphael thought it would be good for me to integrate and it was  _awesome._ I would like Raphael far more if he was this nice to me all the time."

"At least he's hot, I guess," Clary considered the boy in front of her, and tried to place what exactly was wrong with him. They talked about these kinds of things all the time, sure, but there was this weird look in Simon's eyes that made Clary wonder if there was something different about this time.

"He's hot," Simon nodded, and his smile widened, "But not nearly as hot as  _Jace."_

"What?" Clary gaped. Now this was something they never talked about. Jace and the shadowhunters tended to be off limits, a precarious topic that either led to an argument or one of them crying.

"Jace," Simon shrugged like saying what he said was nothing, "He's just- he's freaking beautiful, you know? All you shadowhunters are irritatingly attractive, but there's something different about Jace. This sort of silent calmness that drives me crazy. You know?"

"Um," Clary had no idea what to say. Was this safe territory? Why was Simon suddenly mentioning his attraction to Jace now?

"Like, I know  _you_ find him attractive because you guys have your whole," He wiggled his fingers, "Intense romance thing. But- but I ca't help but look at him all the time. I think I might be in love with him."

"In  _love?_ " Clary's jaw would've hit the ground if that were physically possible, "Simon, why are you telling me this?"

"Is that awkward?" Simon cringed, "Like, should I not tell you about how I think of Jace's lips when I-"

"Okay," Clary shot up from the bed and held her hand out, "I'm not doing this. We're going to Magnus'."

"He'll know what I mean," Simon shook his head, "It's so frustrating to like a shadowhunter when you're a downworlder."

"Jesus, you really have no filter, do you?"

Simon just grinned, looking up at Clary like a happy puppy. Before she hugged him, Clary dragged him out of the room and set off to Magnus'. Something was seriously wrong with this kid if he was spewing about his love for Jace to his best friend, who just so happened to be Jace's ex. 


End file.
